Buckle.



E. R. SWIFT.

BUCKLE.

APPLiCATlON men um. 13. 1915. 1,205,492.

: rm: 4;, unom-umu. wAsm if zg atented Nov. 21, 1916.

EARL R. SWIFT, OF NEBRASKA CITY, NEBRASKA.

BUCKLE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 21, 1916.

Application filed January 13, 1915. Serial No. 2,070.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, EARL R. Swnrr, a citizenof the United States, residing at Nebraska City, in the county of Otoeand State of Nebraska, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Buckles, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved buckle which is intended to beused in connection with overshoes or like articles of apparel and theprincipal object of the invention is to provide a buckle of thecharacter described which is so constructed that it may be securelyconnected with the overshoeand to also so construct the two elementsconstituting the buckle that they may be securely held in a fastenedposition and to further so construct the two elements that while theymay be securely connected they may be readily disconnected when desired.

Another object of the invention is to provide a buckle which will bevery simple in construction and therefore very easy to produce and cheapto manufacture.

Another object of the invention is to so construct the buckle that thehasp or hook element may be adjustably connected with the rack plate orsecond element and to so construct the hook element that it will beresilient and to further so construct the hook element that it may beeasily manipulated in order to connect it with the plate element ordisconnect it from the same.

This invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings whereinFigure l is a view in front elevation showing fragments of a pair ofrubbers provided with the improved securing buckle. Fig. 2 is atransverse sectional view taken along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 isa perspective view of the hook or hasp element of the buckle. Fig. 4 isa perspective view of the plate element of the buckle. Fig. 5 is aperspective view of one of the securing devices which are used forpivotally connectingthe taro elements of the buckle with'the overs oe.

The plate or rack is formedfrom a blank of unyielding metal and iscurved longitudinally as clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 4 and providedwith side flanges 11 which hold the body portion of the plate in spacedrelation to the shoe over which the rubber is placed. It is of courseobvious that this plate may be cast if desired instead of being formedfrom a blank.

Throughout the length of the plate 10 there has been provided openings12 which form the pockets in which the hooks of the second element willfit and at one end of the plate there is provided a larger opening 13the purpose of which will hereinafter be brought out.

The hasp or gripping'element shown in Fig. 3 is formed from a singlestrand of resilient wire which is bent intermediate its length to formthe bridge 1 1 from which the arms 15 extend. These arms 15 extend inconverging relation as shown in Fig. l for a short distance and are thenbent to form the bowed or U-shaped finger engaging element 16. After thefinger engaging elements have been formed the arms are then 7 carried insubstantially parallel relation and are then bent to form the hooks orfingers 17 which extend through the openings 12 to releasably connectthe hasp element with the plate element.

It is desired to have the hasp element and the plate element pivotallyconnected with opposite sides of the overshoe and therefore the securingplates shown in Fig. 5 have been provided. Each of these plates isformed from a blank which is bent intermediate its length to form theinner and outer leaves 18 and 19 and pocket 20, when in use thesecuringplates are connected with the plate 10 and gripping device with thebridge 21 of the plate 10 rotatably mounted in the pocket 20 of itssecuring device and the bridge 14. of the gripping device rotatablymounted in the pocket 20 of its'securing device. The side portions 22and 23.

of the overshoe are then passed between the leaves of the securingdevices and the tongues or prongs 24 are passed through the slots25 andclenched as clearly shown in Fi 2. v

After the rubber has been put on and drawn tightly in place, the plates10 are put into position as shown in Fig. 1 with the flanges 11 engagingthe shoe at the lacing and the hasp or securing devices are then drawnlongitudinally above the-plate until the overshoe is as tight as desiredafter which the hooks are passed through the proper slot 12 and thefingers removed from the bows or arches 16 by means of which thesecuring device has been held. When the pressure'is relaxed upon thebows-or gripping devices 16 the arms 15 will expand and thus bring thehooks into tight engagement with the side portions of the plate. Theflanges 11 not only hold the plates in spaced relation to the shoe thusproviding ample room for the hooks but also serve as means forpreventing the arms from spreading beyond a desired amount and thuscausing the hooks to extend beyond the sides of the plates when theovershoes are fastened. When it is desired to remove the overshoes thefinger engaging elements of the fastening devices are grasped and thearms pressed together thus permitting the hooks to be removed from theslots. The hasp will then be disconnected from the plates and theovershoe will be released and may be readily removed.

What is claimed is A fastener comprising a plate provided withtransversely extending openings and having depending side flanges, andan engaging element including an attaching mem- Gopies of this patentmay be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner ofPatents,

her and an engaging member, the engaging member being formed from astrand of resilient Wire bent intermediate its length to provide abridge engaged by said attaching element to pivotally mount the engagingelement and having arms extending therefrom, the arms being bentinwardly adja-' cent the bridge and then carried away from the bridge inspaced relation and bent intermediate their length to provide fingergrips, the free end portions of the arms being bent downwardly and thenoutwardly to provide side prongs for passing throiwh the openings ofsaid plate to engage t e flanges thereof.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EARL R. SWIFT. itnessesz ALEX. H. BRENEL, F. J. HOMEYER.

Washingtoml). Q.

